Wall magnet anchor system

ABSTRACT

A wall magnet anchor system is used to install magnetic anchors in wall material that can be used to magnetically hold an object to the wall, thereby avoiding the need to a conventional hook that protrudes from the surface of the wall. The anchor can include a helical thread to hold the anchor in the wall. An installation tool includes a cutting features at one end for cutting a hole in a wall to receive an anchor, and an installation feature that engages the anchor and allows a user to drive the anchor, through rotation, into the hole cut by the cutting features.

CROSS REFERENCE

This application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser.No. 16/789,018, filed Feb. 12, 2020, and titled “Wall Magnet AnchorSystem,” and which has been granted as U.S. Pat. No. 10,933,477, theentirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to anchoring devices for hangingobjects on walls, and more particularly to an anchoring system that doesnot use a hook and which can be concealed in a wall.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional wall hanging fixtures involve anchoring a hook into a wall,where the hook is used to hold a wire or string or similar feature onthe back of an object to be hung. Typical objects hung on walls include,for example, mirrors, pictures, paintings, photographs, documents, andso on. An anchor is a plastic structure having a threading on itsoutside and a space along its axis. A pilot hole can be first drilledinto the wall material, and then the anchor is screwed into the wall,and then a screw is screwed into the center of the anchor, where thescrew holds a hook. Of course, people also sometimes forego the anchorand simply drive a screw or nail into the wall, where the nail supportsa hook. However, a properly installed anchor will substantially reducelong term damage to the wall by distributing the force of the weight ofthe object being supported on the hook over a larger area, reducingstress on the wall material.

Unfortunately, when no object is hung on the hook, the hook and anchorare exposed and visible, which is not desirable, and is usually verynoticeable. As a result, the hook/anchor either have to be covered withan object, or removed and the hole patched and painted, or simply leftexposed.

Therefore, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art asdiscussed above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with some features of the inventive disclosure, there isprovided a wall magnet anchor system that includes a wall cutting andanchor installation tool having an elongated body and a hole cuttingfeature formed at a first end of the elongated body. The hole cuttingfeature includes a center pilot like a drill bit and a plurality ofcutting teeth formed in a cylindrical portion around the center pilot.The cylindrical portion has an outside diameter, and the center pilotextends from the first end of the elongated body along a longitudinalaxis of the elongated body and beyond the plurality of cutting teeth.The tool further includes an anchor engagement feature formed at asecond end of the elongated body opposite the first end, and a grippingportion formed between the hole cutting feature at the first end and theanchor engagement feature at the second end. The system also includesone or more anchors, where each anchor has a cylindrical body having anoutside diameter equal to the outside diameter of the cylindricalportion of the hole cutting feature. The anchors further have a magnetdisposed inside the cylindrical body, and a helical thread formed aroundthe cylindrical body from a first end of the cylindrical body to asecond end of the cylindrical body. Additionally, the anchors have atool engagement feature formed at the second end of the cylindrical bodythat is configured to mate with the anchor engagement feature of thewall cutting and anchor installation tool.

In accordance with another feature, the center pilot comprises at leastone helical cutting edge formed along a length of the center pilot thatis configured to cut when the elongated body is rotated about itslongitudinal axis.

In accordance with another feature, the helical thread of the anchorextends outward from an outside of the cylindrical body of the anchor bya distance that increases along the helical thread.

In accordance with another feature, first end of the wall cutting andanchor installation tool comprises a window on the cylindrical portion.

In accordance with another feature, the anchor engagement featurecomprises a plurality of protrusions that extend from the second end ina direction of the longitudinal axis.

In accordance with another feature, the gripping portion comprises aplurality of flat sides formed along the elongated body of the wallcutting and anchor installation tool.

In accordance with another feature, the tool engagement feature of theanchor comprises a plurality of slots formed in the cylindrical body ofthe anchor at the second end.

In accordance with some features of the inventive disclosure, there isprovided a wall cutting and anchor installation tool that includes anelongated body, and a hole cutting feature formed at a first end of theelongated body. The hole cutting feature incudes a center pilot and aplurality of cutting teeth formed in a cylindrical portion around thecenter pilot. The cylindrical portion has an outside diameter, and thecenter pilot extends from the first end of the elongated body along alongitudinal axis of the elongated body and beyond the plurality ofcutting teeth. The tool can further include an anchor engagement featureformed at a second end of the elongated body opposite the first end, anda gripping portion formed between the hole cutting feature at the firstend and the anchor engagement feature at the second end.

In accordance with another feature, the center pilot comprises at leastone helical cutting edge formed along a length of the center pilot thatis configured to cut when the elongated body is rotated about itslongitudinal axis.

In accordance with another feature, first end of the wall cutting andanchor installation tool comprises a window on the cylindrical portion.

In accordance with another feature, the anchor engagement featurecomprises a plurality of protrusions that extend from the second end ina direction of the longitudinal axis.

In accordance with another feature, the gripping portion comprises aplurality of flat sides formed along the elongated body of the wallcutting and anchor installation tool.

In accordance with some features of the inventive disclosure, there isprovided an anchor for hanging objects on a wall that includes acylindrical body having an outside diameter equal to the outsidediameter of the cylindrical portion of the hole cutting feature, amagnet disposed inside the cylindrical body, a helical thread helicallyformed around the cylindrical body from a first end of the cylindricalbody to a second end of the cylindrical body, and a tool engagementfeature formed at the second end of the cylindrical body that isconfigured to mate with the anchor engagement feature of the wallcutting and anchor installation tool.

In accordance with another feature, the helical thread of the anchorextends outward from an outside of the cylindrical body of the anchor bya distance that increases along the helical thread.

In accordance with another feature, the tool engagement feature of theanchor comprises a plurality of slots formed in the cylindrical body ofthe anchor at the second end.

In accordance with another feature, the helical thread comprises abridge portion over one of the plurality of slots.

In accordance with another feature, each of the plurality of slots havea width that is equal to a thickness of the cylindrical body.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodiedin a wall magnet anchor system, it is, nevertheless, not intended to belimited to the details shown because various modifications andstructural changes may be made therein without departing from the spiritof the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of theclaims. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments ofthe invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so asnot to obscure the relevant details of the invention.

Other features that are considered as characteristic for the inventionare set forth in the appended claims. As required, detailed embodimentsof the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to beunderstood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of theinvention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specificstructural and functional details disclosed herein are not to beinterpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as arepresentative basis for teaching one of ordinary skill in the art tovariously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriatelydetailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are notintended to be limiting; but rather, to provide an understandabledescription of the invention. While the specification concludes withclaims defining the features of the invention that are regarded asnovel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood froma consideration of the following description in conjunction with thedrawing figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward.The figures of the drawings are not drawn to scale.

Before the present invention is disclosed and described, it is to beunderstood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescribing particular embodiments only and is not intended to belimiting. The terms “a” or “an,” as used herein, are defined as one ormore than one. The term “plurality,” as used herein, is defined as twoor more than two. The term “another,” as used herein, is defined as atleast a second or more. The terms “including” and/or “having,” as usedherein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term“coupled,” as used herein, is defined as connected, although notnecessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. The term“providing” is defined herein in its broadest sense, e.g.,bringing/coming into physical existence, making available, and/orsupplying to someone or something, in whole or in multiple parts at onceor over a period of time.

“In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, unlessotherwise specified, azimuth or positional relationships indicated byterms such as “up”, “down”, “left”, “right”, “inside”, “outside”,“front”, “back”, “head”, “tail” and so on, are azimuth or positionalrelationships based on the drawings, which are only to facilitatedescription of the embodiments of the present invention and simplify thedescription, but not to indicate or imply that the devices or componentsmust have a specific azimuth, or be constructed or operated in thespecific azimuth, which thus cannot be understood as a limitation to theembodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, terms such as“first”, “second”, “third” and so on are only used for descriptivepurposes, and cannot be construed as indicating or implying relativeimportance.

In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, itshould be noted that, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited,terms such as “installed”, “coupled”, “connected” should be broadlyinterpreted, for example, it may be fixedly connected, or may bedetachably connected, or integrally connected; it may be mechanicallyconnected, or may be electrically connected; it may be directlyconnected, or may be indirectly connected via an intermediate medium. Asused herein, the terms “about” or “approximately” apply to all numericvalues, whether or not explicitly indicated. These terms generally referto a range of numbers that one of skill in the art would considerequivalent to the recited values (i.e., having the same function orresult). In many instances these terms may include numbers that arerounded to the nearest significant figure. In this document, the term“longitudinal” should be understood to mean in a direction correspondingto an elongated direction of the installation tool. Those skilled in theart can understand the specific meanings of the above-mentioned terms inthe embodiments of the present invention according to the specificcircumstances.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer toidentical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate viewsand which together with the detailed description below are incorporatedin and form part of the specification, serve to further illustratevarious embodiments and explain various principles and advantages all inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a wall magnet anchor system, including ananchor and a tool for installing the anchor, in accordance with someembodiments;

FIG. 2 shows a side cut-away view of an installation tool and anchor fora wall magnet anchor system, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of an installation tool having a tap thread, inaccordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an installation tool for a wallmagnet anchor system, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 5 shows an end view of an installation tool for a wall magnetanchor system, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 6 shows a side view of an anchor for a wall magnet anchor system,in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 7 shows a cut-away side view of an anchor for a wall magnet anchorsystem, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 8 shows a side view of an anchor for a wall magnet anchor system inwhich a magnet is being positioned for use, in accordance with someembodiments;

FIG. 9A shows a side view of an anchor for a wall magnet anchor systemin which a magnet has been mounted, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 9B shows a side cut-away view of an anchor for a wall magnet anchorsystem in which a magnet has been mounted, in accordance with someembodiments;

FIG. 9C show a perspective view of an anchor for a wall magnet anchorsystem in which a magnet has been mounted, in accordance with someembodiments;

FIG. 9D shows a front view of an anchor for a wall magnet anchor systemin which a magnet has been mounted, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 9E shows a rear view of anchor for a wall magnet anchor system inwhich a magnet has been mounted, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 10 shows a side view of an installation tool for a wall magnetanchor system being used to cut a hole in a wall to mount an anchor inthe wall, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 11 shows a side view of an installation tool for a wall magnetanchor system being used to cut a hole in a wall to mount an anchor inthe wall, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 12 shows a side view of an installation tool for a wall magnetanchor system being used to install an anchor in the wall, in accordancewith some embodiments;

FIG. 13 shows a side view of an anchor mounted in a wall for a wallmagnet anchor system, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 14 shows a view of a wall having wall magnet anchors onto which anobject is to be placed and retained on the wall, in accordance with someembodiments;

FIG. 15 shows a view of a wall onto which an object is placed andretained on the wall by wall magnet anchors, in accordance with someembodiments;

FIG. 16 is a flow chart diagram of a method for installing a wall magnetanchor, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 17 shows a side cutaway view of an installation tool adapted foruse with a hole saw, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 18A-18B show isometric views of opposing ends of an installationtool adapted to use a hole saw, in accordance with some embodiments; and

FIG. 19 shows an isometric view of an installation tool having a cuttingend and also a socket adapted for use with a hole saw, in accordancewith some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While the specification concludes with claims defining the features ofthe invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that theinvention will be better understood from a consideration of thefollowing description in conjunction with the drawing figures, in whichlike reference numerals may be used across multiple drawings. However,the fact that different reference numerals may be used in some drawingsshowing alternative embodiments should not be taken as an indicationthat such alternative embodiments are patentably distinct. It is to beunderstood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of theinvention, which can be embodied in various forms.

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a wall magnet anchor system 100, includingan anchor 103 and a tool 102 for installing the anchor 103, inaccordance with some embodiments. The anchor 103 is designed to house amagnet, and to be installed in a wall, such as a residential wall, thatuses sheet rock or drywall or similar materials. The magnet housed inthe anchor 103 is used to attract a magnet or ferrous metal element thatis affixed to the wall-facing surface of an object (frame, mirror,painting, etc.) to be mounted on the wall. The force of attractionbetween the anchor and the object, due to the magnet(s) is sufficient tohold the object in place. Of course, the weight of the object must besmall enough that magnetic attraction is not overcome by the force ofgravity acting on the object.

The installation tool 102 is used to both cut a hole in a wall(drywall), and then to drive the anchor 103 into the hole, where theanchor 103 will then be securely held in place. The installation tool102 can be manually operated or configured to be used with a power toolsuch as a drill. The tool 102 has a hole cutting feature at a first end104 that includes a center pilot 106 and a plurality of cutting teeth108 formed in a cylindrical portion around the center pilot 106. Thecenter pilot 106 extends from the first end 104 of the elongated body ofthe tool 102 along a longitudinal axis 112 of the elongated body, andbeyond the plurality of cutting teeth 108. That is, the center pilot 106extends out farther than do the cutting teeth 108. The center pilot 106is generally cylindrical, resembling a drill bit, and have a helicalcutting edge 134. The center pilot 106 therefore makes contact with thesurface of the wall before the cutting teeth 108 (when the tool 102 isheld such that its axis 112 is perpendicular to the surface of thewall), and create a hole into the wall material when the tool 102 isrotated about the longitudinal axis 112. As the center pilot 106 cutsinto the wall material, the cutting teeth 108 with eventually contactthe surface of the wall and begin cutting into the wall as well. Thus,the cutting teeth 108 cut in circular hole in the wall around the centerpilot 106, wherein the hole cut in the wall will have a diameter equalto that of the outside diameter of the first end 104. A window 110allows the user to remove the wall material from the tool.

The anchor 103, shown in more detail in FIG. 6 , has a substantiallycylindrical body 122 that has an outside diameter equal to that of thefirst end 104 of the tool 102. The anchor 103 also has a helical thread124 on the outside surface of the cylindrical body 122 that extendsoutward and forms an edge along the helical thread 124. The anchor 103also includes a magnet 144 inside the cylindrical body 122. Aftercreating the hole in the wall with the cutting features at the first end104 of the tool 102, the anchor 103 is placed into the hole, with theback end 128 entering the hole. Because the hole cut by the cuttingteeth 108 is slightly larger than that of the cylindrical body 122 ofthe anchor 103, the back end 128 will fit into the hole. However, thehelical thread 124 extends outward from the cylindrical body 122, itblocks the anchor 103 from passing into the hole directly. To drive theanchor 103 into the hole, the anchor 103 must be rotated about its axis(e.g. 112 as shown in FIG. 1 ), causing the helical thread 124 to diginto the wall material in the bore of the hole. That is, the helicalthread 124 acts like a tap to allow the anchor 103 to be screwed intothe hole. The end of the helical thread 124 closest to the back end 128is also to shortest, and the helical thread 124 gets taller (from theoutside surface of the cylindrical body 122) along the helical thread124 from the back end 128.

To rotate the anchor 103, there can be a tool engagement feature suchas, for example, slots 126 at the front end of the anchor, opposite theback end 128. The tool engagement feature engages a complementary anchorengagement feature on the tool 102 at a second end 114 of the tool 102,such as protrusions 116 and slots 118. The protrusions 116 fit intoslots 126 of the anchor 103, while the slots 118 receive the non-slottedportions of the anchor 103. Once engaged, the tool 102 can again begripped at the gripping portion 120 and rotated about its axis 112 toturn the anchor 103, causing the helical thread 124 to cut into the sideof the hole that had been cut by the cutting features of the first end104. The helical thread 124 thereby holds the anchor 103 in the hole,and can be screwed into the hole until the face (opposite the back end128) is flush with the wall, or recessed into the wall slightly so thatit can be covered and concealed (e.g. spackling and paint).

FIG. 2 shows a side cut-away view of an installation tool 102 and anchor103 for a wall magnet anchor system, in accordance with someembodiments. In this view a cavity 130 in the anchor 103 can be seen.The cavity 130 can be generally cylindrical and can be sized to hold themagnet by frictional engagement with the wall of the cavity 130. Themagnet, which inserted into the cavity 130, can be moved into contactwith the inside of the front end 132 of the anchor 103. As seen betweenFIGS. 1 and 2 , the helical thread 124 can extend from the back end 128to the front end 132, winding around the anchor at least once, and abouttwice in some embodiments. It can also be seen in FIG. 2 that the tool102 is a unitary element with the various portions being contiguous. Thetool 102 can be made of a sufficiently hard polymeric material, metal,or other suitable material. The anchor 103 can be made of the samematerial as the tool 102 or a different material. FIG. 7 shows thecut-away view of the anchor 103 in more detail.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of an installation tool 102 having a tap thread136, in accordance with some embodiments. The tap thread 136 can beprovided as an optional feature in some embodiments. Using the cuttingfeatures 106, 108 a hole can be cut through a wall, but rather thanwithdraw the tool 102 from the hole, the tool 102, at the first end 104,can be further inserted into the hole such that the tap thread 136engages the wall. The tap thread 136 is a helical thread thatcorresponds to the helical thread 124 on the anchor 103, and thereforecuts a counterthread in the side of the hole to receive the helicalthread 124 of the anchor 103.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an installation tool for a wallmagnet anchor system, in accordance with some embodiments. In this viewprotrusions 116 can be seen extend from the second end 114 of the tool102 with slots or gaps 118 between the protrusions 116. The protrusionshave sides 138 that bear against corresponding surfaces 127 of theanchor 103 so that rotation of the tool 102 imparts rotation to theanchor 103 when the protrusions 116 are engaged in the slots 126 of theanchor 103. FIG. 5 shows an end view of an installation tool 102,looking at the second end 114 along the axis 112 of the tool 102. InFIGS. 4 and 5 it can be seen that there are, in embodiments representedby these drawings, three protrusion 116 equally spaced around theperimeter of the second end 114, and which extend from the second end114 along the longitudinal axis of the tool 102. As shown here, theprotrusions 116 alternate with the gaps 118, and each of the protrusions116 and gaps 118 are about the same arc-length around the circularperimeter of the second end 114. The protrusions 116 have a thickness orwidth 117 that is substantially equal to the width of the slots 126 ofthe anchor 103. The protrusions 116 also have a height 137 in which theyextend from the second end 114 that is substantially equal to the depthof the slots 126 of the anchor.

FIGS. 6-7 show a side view and a side cut-away view of the anchor 103,respectively, in accordance with some embodiments. In these drawings thehelical thread 124 can be seen to increase in height from the back end128 to the front end 132. For example, a first portion 140 of thehelical thread 124 has a height from the outside surface of thecylindrical body 122 from line 170 to line 172, while a second portion142 of the helical thread has a height from line 170 to line 174,showing how the helical thread 124 increases in height. The increase inheight of the helical thread helps ensure the helical thread 124 istightly engaged with the wall material all along the helical thread 124when the anchor 103 is installed in a wall. Furthermore, it can be seenthat the thickness of the cylindrical body 122 of the anchor 103 isindicated between line 176 and 178, which is the width 180 of the gaps126, and equal to the width of the protrusions 116 of the tool 102.Additionally, in FIGS. 6-7 , it can be seen that the helical thread 124has a triangular profile, defining an edge along its outer peripherythat allows it cut into the wall material when the anchor 103 isinstalled in a wall. In FIG. 6 a gap 146 is bridged by a bridge portion194 of the helical thread 124. AN inner surface of the bridge portion194 follows the shape of the outer surface of the cylindrical wall sothat one of the protrusions 116 of the tool 102 can fit between thebridge portion 194 and the rest of the anchor 103. It will beappreciated by those skilled in the art that variations of thesefeatures can be used to achieve substantially the same effect. Forexample, the helical thread 124 can have a consistent height from end toend. There can be fewer, or more gaps 126 and protrusions 116 on thetool 102.

FIG. 8 shows a side view of an anchor 103 for a wall magnet anchorsystem in which a magnet 144 is being positioned for use, in accordancewith some embodiments. The magnet 144 is sized to fit within the cavity130 of the anchor 103. The walls bordering the cavity can be in contactwith the side of the magnet 144, creating static friction that hold themagnet 144 in the anchor 103. Alternatively, the magnet 144 can be gluedinto the anchor 103.

FIGS. 9A-E show various views of the anchor 103. FIG. 9A shows a sideview of an anchor 103 for a wall magnet anchor system in which a magnet144 has been mounted. FIG. 9B shows a side cut-away view of an anchorfor a wall magnet anchor system in which a magnet has been mounted. FIG.9C show a perspective view of an anchor for a wall magnet anchor systemin which a magnet has been mounted. FIG. 9D shows a front view of ananchor for a wall magnet anchor system in which a magnet has beenmounted. FIG. 9E shows a rear view of anchor for a wall magnet anchorsystem in which a magnet has been mounted. The helical thread 124 can beseen in FIG. 9E growing in size as it traverses around and along thecylindrical body 122 of the anchor 103, from a start 190 to the end 192of the helical thread 124. In FIG. 9C it can be seen that a bridgeportion 194 of the helical thread 124 near the end 192 bridges over agap 126 into which one of the protrusions 116 of the toll 102 fits.Thus, a protrusion 116 will fit between the bridge portion 194 of thehelical thread 124 and the anchor 103/magnet 144. In some embodimentsthere can be three gaps 126 on the front end 132 of the anchor 103.

FIGS. 10-13 show a sequence for installing an anchor in a wall. FIG. 10shows a side view of an installation tool 102 for a wall magnet anchorsystem being used to cut a hole in a wall 150 to mount an anchor 103 inthe wall 150, in accordance with some embodiments. The wall 150 can be aconventional drywall construction, either before or after being finished(e.g. painted/surfaced). Initially, the center pilot 106 makes contactwith the wall at a point that will be the center of the anchor 103. Theuser can grip the tool 102 at the gripping portion and turn it about itsaxis as indicated by line 152. The helical cutting edge 134 of thecenter pilot 106 will cut a hole for the center pilot 106 and allow thecutting teeth 108 to eventually come into contact with the wall 150 andstart cutting into the wall 150. FIG. 11 shows the tool having cutthrough the wall 150, leaving a hole in the wall that has a diametersubstantially equal to that of the first end 104 of the tool 102.

In FIG. 12 the tool 102 has been removed and flipped around so that thesecond end 114 is facing the hole 152. The anchor 103 is aligned withthe hole 152 so that the back end 128 enters first. The protrusions 116of the tool 102 engage the slots 126 at the front end 132 of the anchor103 when the tool 102 is moved in the direction of arrow 154. The tool102 can then be turned about its elongated axis to cause the anchor 103to turn, which causes the helical thread 124 to cut into the sides 156of the hole 152. In FIG. 13 the anchor 103 has been drive completelyinto the hole, and the helical thread 124 has cut a correspondingcounterthread 158 into the wall material at the sides of the hole. Asshown here the anchor 103 is positioned such that the front end 132 isabout flush with the surface of the wall 150. Accordingly, the front end132 is flat in a plane perpendicular to an axis (e.g. 112) of thecylindrical body 122 of the anchor 103. In some embodiments the anchor103 can be countersunk so that the front end 132 is recessed from thesurface of the wall 150, so that the front end 132 can be covered with athin layer of surfacing material to conceal the anchor 103.

FIG. 14 shows a view of a wall having wall magnet anchors onto which anobject is to be placed and retained on the wall, in accordance with someembodiments. FIG. 15 shows a view of a wall onto which an object isplaced and retained on the wall by wall magnet anchors. In FIG. 14 thereis shown a pair of anchors 103 mounted in the wall 150. The anchors eachcontain a magnet as shown, for example, in FIGS. 8-9 . An object 160 isto be mounted on the wall 150 and is provided with two mounting elements162, which are spaced to correspond to the magnets 103. The mountingelements 162 are either a ferrous metal that will be attracted to themagnets, or are also magnets having a polarity orientation such thatthey will be attracted to the magnets (as opposed to being repelled).The object can be a picture frame or similar object, and is then movedas indicated by arrow 164 such that the mounting elements 162 are eachlocated adjacent to one of the magnets 103 such that the resultingmagnetic force hold the object 160 in place on the wall 150 as shown inFIG. 15 .

FIG. 16 is a flow chart diagram of a method 200 for installing a wallmagnet anchor, in accordance with some embodiments. The method 200covers a process similar to that exemplified by FIGS. 10-15 . At thestart 202 a user has decided to mount an object on a wall. The user willhave an installation tool (e.g. 102) and one or more anchors (e.g. 103)that each have a magnet. In step 204 the user must first decide wherethe object is to be located, or at least where the anchor(s) is/are tobe located for future use. In step 206 the user uses the tool to firstcut a hole in the wall using the cutting features of the tool. In step208, for each hole cut by the user, the user places and drives an anchorinto the hole. In step 210, which can be optional, the user can concealthe anchor(s) and finish the wall. In step 212 the user places amounting element (or more than one) on an object to be hung/mounted onthe wall. In step 214 the user places the object on the wall such thatthe mounting elements (“plates”) are directly over a magnet for thegreatest magnetic force. In step 216 the object is retained on the wallby magnetic force, and the method 200 ends 218. In some embodiments, themethod 200 can be performed to step 210, installing a plurality ofconcealed anchors in the wall which can optionally be used later to hangobjects in accordance with steps 212-216 as the user desires.

FIG. 17 shows a side cutaway view of an installation tool 1702 adaptedfor use with a hole saw 1704, in accordance with some embodiments.Installation tool 1702 lacks the center pilot 106 and cutting teeth 108,and is instead provided with a pair of hex channels 1710, 1714 at theopposing ends. The hex channels 1710, 1714 are configured tostandardized hex driver dimensions to receive a hex drive shaft 1706 ofthe hole saw (as well as any other tool having a hex driver shaft of thesame dimensions). The hole saw 1704 includes a center pilot 1708 formaking an initial hole about which an outer saw 1709 will rotate. Theouter saw 1709 has an outer diameter that is substantially the same asthe outer diameter of a wall magnet anchor, or more specifically, wallmagnet anchors can be made to have an outer diameter (not including thehelical thread 124) that is the same as that of the outer diameter ofthe hole saw 1704. The hole saw 1704 and installation tool 1702 can besold together or separately. The hex channels 1710, 1714 are deep enoughfrom their respective ends of the installation tool 1702 to steadilyhold the hex drive shaft 1706, which can be, for example, on the orderof one half to one inch. The installation tool 1702, while lacking thecutting features at one end, can include protrusions 116 for driving ananchor into a hole cut by hole saw 1704.

FIG. 18A-18B show isometric views of opposing ends of an installationtool 1702 adapted to use a hole saw, in accordance with someembodiments. In FIG. 18A, hex channel 1714 can be seen having an openingat a relatively flat face, other than for projections 116. FIG. 18Bshows the opposite end at which hex channel 1710 is formed, extendinginward from the end face. The hex channels 1710, 1714 can receive anyhex drive shaft, but are intended to receive the hex drive shaft 1706 ofthe hole saw 1704.

FIG. 19 shows an isometric view of an installation tool 102 having acutting end and also a hex socket adapted for use with a hole saw, inaccordance with some embodiments. The tool 102 includes a first end 104and a second end 114. The first end includes a center pilot 106 andcutting teeth 108 arranged in a generally circular form around thecenter pilot 106. A relief hole 110 allows material to pass out of thetool as it is used to cut a hole in drywall material. A helical thread136 can be present to tap the drywall material and create a thread toreceive the helical thread 124 of an wall anchor. In the event that thecutting teeth 108 are broken or become too dull for practical us, orthat a different sized hole is required, and hex channel 1714 isprovided at the second end 114 to receive the hex drive shaft of a holesaw.

A wall magnet anchor system has been disclosed the allows objects to bemagnetically mounted on a wall. The system includes an installation tooland anchors. The installation tool is an elongated implement havingcutting features at one end and anchor engagement feature at theopposite end. The anchors house a magnet and have a thread that holdthem in the wall, and specifically in a hole cut by the installationtool. The installation tool has a center pilot and cutting teethdisposed around the center pilot which cut into the wall as the tool isturned. Once the hole is cut, an anchor is aligned with the hole, andthe anchor engagement features of the installation tool are interfacedwith corresponding features on the anchor, where again, the tool isrotated to drive the anchor into the hole as a helical thread on theoutside of the anchor cuts into the side of the hole, thereby retainingthe anchor in the hole. The anchor(s) can be slightly counter sunk andconcealed, and/or painted over. The anchors, when so installed,eliminate the need for conventional hooks and other hanging hardwarethat sticks out of the wall. Thus, a plurality of anchors can bemounted, allowing a person to reposition an object as desired withouthaving hook protruding from the wall or nail holes that need to berepaired and resurfaced every time wall hanging objects are repositionedor replaced.

What is claimed is:
 1. An anchor for hanging objects on a wall, theanchor comprising: a body having a back end and a front end; a magnetdisposed in the body, wherein a portion of the magnet is adjacent thefront end; a helical thread helically formed around the body from theback end to the front end of the body; a plurality of slots at the frontend of the body that extend from an outside of the body into the bodyand from the front end along the body in a direction toward the back endof the body; and wherein the helical thread comprises a bridge portionover at least one slot of the plurality of slots.
 2. The anchor of claim1, wherein the helical thread extends outward from an outside of thebody by a distance that increases along the helical thread.
 3. Theanchor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of slots formed in the bodyextend into the body from the outside of the body through the body tothe magnet.
 4. The anchor of claim 1, wherein the magnet is acylindrical magnet.
 5. The anchor of claim 1, wherein the front end ofthe body is flat and normal to an axis of the body.
 6. The anchor ofclaim 1, wherein the helical thread has a triangular cross sectionalprofile.
 7. An anchor for hanging objects on a wall, the anchorcomprising: a body having a back end and a front end and a cavitybetween the back end and the front end; a magnet disposed in the cavityof the body against an inside of the front end; a helical threadhelically formed around the body from the back end to the front end ofthe body; and a plurality of slots at the front end of the body thatextend from an outside of the body into the body and from the front endalong the body in a direction toward the back end of the body; andwherein the helical thread comprises a bridge portion over at least oneslot of the plurality of slots.
 8. The anchor of claim 7, wherein aheight of the helical thread in a direction outward from the bodyincreases along the helical thread from the back end to the front end.9. The anchor of claim 7, wherein the plurality of slots formed in thebody extend into the body from the outside of the body through the bodyto the magnet.
 10. The anchor of claim 7, wherein the magnet is acylindrical magnet and the cavity is a cylindrical cavity that is sizedto hold the magnet in the cavity by friction between an inner wall ofthe cavity and the magnet.
 11. The anchor of claim 7, wherein the frontend of the body is flat and normal to an axis of the body.
 12. Theanchor of claim 7, wherein the helical thread has a triangular crosssectional profile.
 13. A magnetic wall anchor device, comprising: acylindrical anchor body having front end and a back end, the front endhaving a flat front side that is normal to an axis of the cylindricalanchor body; a cylindrical cavity formed in the cylindrical anchor bodyfrom the back end to an inside of the front side; a cylindrical magnetdisposed in the cylindrical cavity; and a helical thread around anoutside of the cylindrical anchor body having a start that is adjacentthe back end of the cylindrical anchor body and an end that is adjacentthe front end of the cylindrical anchor body, wherein a height of thehelical thread, in a direction outward from the axis of the cylindricalanchor body, increases along the helical thread from the start of thehelical thread to the end of the helical thread.
 14. The magnetic wallanchor device of claim 13, further comprising, the cylindrical anchorbody having a plurality of slots at the front end of the cylindricalanchor body that extend from an outside of the cylindrical anchor bodyinto the cylindrical anchor body and from the front end along thecylindrical anchor body in a direction toward the back end of thecylindrical anchor body.
 15. The magnetic wall anchor device of claim14, wherein the helical thread comprises a bridge portion over at leastone slot of the plurality of slots.
 16. The magnetic wall anchor deviceof claim 14, wherein the plurality of slots formed in the cylindricalanchor body extend into the cylindrical anchor body from the outside ofthe cylindrical anchor body through the cylindrical anchor body to themagnet.
 17. The magnetic wall anchor device of claim 13, wherein thecylindrical cavity is sized to hold the cylindrical magnet in thecylindrical cavity by friction between an inner wall of the cylindricalcavity and the cylindrical magnet.